Dermal Sensitization: The risk of not having a Beryllium surface screening program
For decades, the Gold Standard of Beryllium safety was “Don’t breathe it in”. With a focus on respirators, air monitors, and PELs.
Recent research (and 2026 safety guidelines) confirms a more subtle risk: Dermal Sensitization.
Beryllium particles sitting on a clean workbench or a tool handle don't just stay there. They can penetrate the skin, especially through micro-cuts or even prolonged contact alone. Once a person is sensitized through the skin, the next time they have even a tiny inhalation exposure, the risk of Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD) dramatically increases.
By identifying surface contamination instantly with a visual color change, you have the opportunity to stop the dermal pathway before it starts. Standard sampling wipes tell you what happened last week (when lab results come back).
Color Tech Holdings CodeBe wipes tell you what is happening right now.
In terms of a practical example at a range of sites:
“Using a lab test to find out a breakroom was contaminated 5 days ago is a liability. Using a CodeBe wipe to prove it’s clean before the crew sits down is compliance”.
Aside from the fact integrating surface screening will be mandatory in the EU from July 2026, it is the only practical way to reduce the health risk to workers. Further, it also helps mitigate the risk of legal liability for fiduciary office holders or responsible delegates.
Some real world use cases include:
Contractors Clean-In/Clean-Out: Use CodeBe surface screening to verify the tools they are taking out are clean before they reach their personal vehicles. Protecting everyone they may come into contact with after leaving the site.
Multi-Use Facilities: In labs where Beryllium is used alongside other materials, CodeBe prevents cross-contamination. This way your CNC machine wont be spreading Beryllium for a week before you find out when the lab results come back.
PPE Transition Zones: Wiping the outside of a respirator or a glove-box port before a worker removes gear. If the wipe changes color the decon is not complete. This allows workers to stop the exposure, and employers to reduce liability before the mask comes off.
The imagery included are real world examples of CodeBe reducing the risk of Dermal Sensitization.
